The Blind Princess
by White Bryony
Summary: The thirteenth fairy is not invited to the christening- sort of a reimagining of Sleeping Beauty.
1. Chapter 1

The thirteenth fairy was never truly evil, not really. Her greatest sin was pride, but few can be said to be free of that.

She, like everyone else in the kingdom, had been excited by the baby's birth. The kingdom's greatest worry- its lack of an heir- was over and there would no doubt be a party to celebrate. Feasting, music, dancing- drinking toasts to the health of ever more ridiculous things: the queen, the child, the palace vegetable patch. Who wouldn't be excited by that?

So she settled down and waited for her invitation to the court celebrations. She watched her twelve older sisters receive theirs, but still none came for her. She strived desperately for patience but, when the big day came, she still had not got one. She was forced to admit the insult given to her. Was it her youth? Did they think that her being the youngest of the thirteen good fairies meant that she was inferior to the others?

So she dressed herself in all black and transformed into a crow. She flew into the great hall of the palace and perched on an elaborate carving on the wall. She saw the king and queen and the other twelve fairies sat at the high table with a cradle next to the queen. She watched her sisters eating off gold pates and drinking out of gold cups. She felt anger, then, at the slight and at her sisters. How dare they? _How dare they?_ Did they think that she would not avenge herself? Very well. She would not just make an entrance to rebuke the king and queen- she would also punish them.

She watched the feasting end and a fanfare announce her sisters giving magical gifts to the baby princess and the applause that came with each gift. Beauty, compassion, song, grace, good health, patience, temperance, that she would be good with animals, diligence, purity, eloquence and moderation. She noted, however, with some delight that none gave her good luck or modesty. As the twelfth gave the princess her gift the thirteenth fairy flew over the heads of the courtiers with a harsh caw. She transformed back from her crow-form and stood in the middle of the hall. People backed away from her and, for a moment, even her sisters did not recognise her.

The king and queen leapt to her feet at the sight of her.

"I was disappointed not to receive an invitation, your highnesses." She said coldly. "Can you tell me why I appear to have not received one?"

"We… we did not have enough golden plates, and we were afraid of offending…"

"Really? I think that no invitation at all was a far greater insult." Neither king nor queen answered. One of the older fairies stood up.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"I wish to pay the princess my respects, of course. Why should a silly detail like an invitation stop me from doing that?" The fairy walked across the hall to the cradle. "Hmm… I feel that I really ought to give the child a gift too, but your gifts-" she turned to smile at the twelve fairies who all looked nervous. "-are all so good. I think I can only agree and say that yes, all you described will come to pass. So what is there that I could add? Well, with so many excellent qualities we might worry that the girl would become vain. I offer this to help combat this: should the girl catch sight of herself, be it her reflection or portrait, she shall be turned to stone." She gently touched the baby's eyelids. "Also, I think this transformation will be irreversible. After all, what sort of good fairy would I be if I made it easy for the child? Giving the girl a challenge will make her all the better." Everyone was silent so she turned to face the congregation. "No applause? Does my gift not please you?"

"That is no gift, girl!" shouted the eldest of the other twelve fairies. "You know that that is not good!"

"But I'm stopping her from succumbing to evils of vanity." She spoke sweetly. "I saw that none of you gave the child modesty so clearly that needed remedying."

"Then why not give the child modesty?" asked the second eldest. "Instead you have cursed her!"

"Curse, blessing," The thirteenth fairy shrugged. "It's all semantics really." One of the other fairies- one of the much younger ones this time- could take it no longer and walked over to the thirteenth fairy and slapped her.

"Reverse it!" The thirteenth fairy caught the other fairy's wrist and twisted it round, forcing her to her knees and whimpering in pain.

"No" she whispered. She dropped the other's wrist and turned back to the king and queen. "I look forward to watching your daughter grow. If you can keep her from seeing herself she will be an excellent princess- and one day a very good queen." With that she left, walking away from the monarchs and fading into thin air.

When she returned home she reflected on what she had done. The other twelve would now renounce her. She could no longer call herself a 'good' fairy, she knew that. She was not going to do anything else to the princess- actually; she was interested to see how the king and queen were going to deal with her gift. After all, what _could_ they do?


	2. Chapter 2

The news shocked the fairy when she first heard it. At first. The shock wore off quickly, though. She ought to have expected it, really. How many other options did they have? They could hardly destroy all the windows and puddles and mirrors in the kingdom. Nor could they keep the girl blindfolded. Eventually she would grow reckless or curious. Eventually she would take off whatever mask they gave her. The child would inevitably see herself.

So they had chosen only truly fool proof option, done the only thing that would forever stop the girl from being turned to stone.

They blinded her.

The fairy did not know exactly how they did it. She did not know if they used pins or hot oil, all she knew was that the princess was now blind.

The other twelve fairies had raged at her.

"You forced the king to mutilate his daughter!" the eldest had shouted.

"I am sorry that the girl is blind but that was the king's choice"

"Do you not feel any guilt? Any remorse?" The thirteenth fairy thought for a moment. Then she chose to lie.

"No"

"Then you are no longer a good fairy." One of the others- the seventh perhaps- hissed.

"Then I am glad."

"What? You choose the path of evil?" She gave no reply. The twelve fairies could see her as evil if they chose. She was not going to tell them if she had any regrets.

The next sixteen years were lonely for the thirteenth fairy. The twelve good fairies spread word about her turning to evil and so people avoided her. Those in the magical community who did not consider themselves 'good' did not treat her very differently: most ignored her, though the more malignant members showed an initial interest. They tried to get her to join them in undermining the crown but she always declined.

"Look thirteen, if you are going to curse the princess you had better be willing to follow up!" said one fairy who, it was said, had once summoned two demons and drunk large amounts of ale with them.

The thirteenth fairy refused.

"My quarrel was with the king and queen over an invitation. I think I have got appropriate revenge- don't you?"

"But… what about _more_?"

"Ask me when they forget to invite me again."

After that they tended to leave her well alone.

This was why she was so surprised at hearing a horse's hooves and receiving a messenger the week before the princess' sixteenth birthday.

There was a knock at her door, which she opened to find a young man quaking in his boots.

"Are you- are you…?"

"The thirteenth fairy?" The man nodded, still shaking. "Yes. Calm down, I won't eat you." She turned to go back into her cottage. "I prefer children anyway."

"What?" The man froze in sudden terror. The fairy sighed.

"I was joking. Won't you come in?" The man shook his head vigorously.

"I'd rather not."

"So be it. Why are you here?"

"I," He swallowed nervously. "I have a message for you from her grace, the princess." The thirteenth fairy sighed heavily, shoulders slumping.

"What is it?"

"She invites you to her birthday celebrations. Her grace would like to meet you before then, if possible, too." The thirteenth fairy had not expected this. The princess inviting _her_? Was this a trap?

"Why does she want to meet with me?"

"She has heard a lot about you." The fairy smiled.

"All of it bad I hope."

"Her grace would rather judge for herself."

"Good girl." The thirteenth fairy thought for a moment. "Go back to your princess. I will make my own way to her and you must give her this message: If this is a trap I will react and defend myself accordingly. The man nodded and ran back to his horse.

The thirteenth fairy turned herself into a crow and followed him. She flew overhead as he mounted his horse and rode back to the palace.

She watched him stable his horse then go to a small garden where a girl was sat on a stone bench with a small harp upon her knees.

"Did you give her my message?" The girl asked, not turning at his approach.

"Yes, your grace. She had one for you in return." He repeated what the thirteenth fairy had said and the princess laughed softly when he finished.

"Oh, I _do_ look forward to meeting her." She said. "Did you succeed in keeping this from my parents?"

"Yes, your grace."

"Excellent. Please continue to keep them in the dark." Her voice became hard- oddly threatening. "I don't want them to know."

"I understand, your grace. You can count on me." The man bowed and left the princess who gently plucked the strings on her harp. The thirteenth fairy looked at the princess. The girl whose beauty was praised above all others. A girl who was unable to see.

She swooped down silently and landed on the ground in front of the girl and changed back from being a crow.

"Who are you?" The princess asked. Her expression did not change and she continued to stare straight ahead. The thirteenth fairy remained silent. "I hear you breathe. I know you are there."

"You sent for me."

"I did not expect to receive you so soon."

"You have good hearing."

"I know." The princess set the harp down on the bench beside her and stood up. "People often mistake blindness for helplessness."

"Why did you invite me?"

"Politeness? Courtesy?" The princess stepped forwards so that she and the fairy were nearly touching. "I wanted to know why I am supposed to fear you. And I wanted to thank you."

"Do you fear me?"

"No." She touched her eyes gently. "I hate being blind. Every day is dark- I would love to see light and colours. I would love to know what 'seeing' is. I want to see colours and stars and sunsets and faces and flowers." She carefully reached out a hand to the side of her where a rose bush stood. She felt around until her fingers met a flower and she carefully pulled at the stem. She held the rose to her nose and inhaled. "My world is scent and sound and touch. I hate the lack of sight, but I don't hate you."

"Maybe you should. I was the one who cursed you."

"So did all the other fairies. Yours just sounded more like a curse."

"How were their gifts curses?"

"How were they gifts?" She carefully reached out and felt the thirteenth fairy's face then tucked the rose behind her ear. "A gift from a fairy is something like a phoenix egg or a branch from a tree of jewels that is magic and alive. Something wonderful and fantastic. What they did… I never know where those gifts end and where I begin. I hate being told that I am beautiful because they are not complimenting me- they're complimenting the fairy whose spell tells them that I am beautiful. People always pay attention to the fairy gifts, never to me. When I sing I am singing well because a fairy made me that way. Not because I put effort and achieved something. It's not 'mine' so I can't feel pride in it. But the things I _do_ put effort into, like memorizing every bloody corridor of this palace? They're ignored." She exhaled heavily and sat down again. "I'm sorry."

"No, I-"

"It's alright. I don't like what you did, but I prefer it to what those other fairies did. With your gift… I know where it ends and where I begin."

"I think my sister made you too compassionate."

"Really?" The princess' smile became oddly bitter. "I have not let myself feel compassion for at least two years now."

"What? Why?"

"I heard about a person who did the most reprehensible things- rape, murder, torture- and all I felt for them was compassion. I cared about the scum of humanity. Except it was not me. I realised I didn't know if I cared for anyone or anything, so I decided to stop caring entirely. I know that it is my decision so I know where I am." The thirteenth fairy looked at the princess. She looked past the magic, peeled away the layers of her sister's spell and saw the face beneath. Her real face. The fairy gazed and thought and then asked: "What do _you_ want?"

"More than anything? I want to see. Colours and things and people. Then I will take a mirror and look at myself." The fairy knelt before the princess and took her hand.

"You don't mean-" The princess leaned forward until their noses touched and stroked the fairy's cheek.

"Shh, it's alright. I can't see, can I?" She pulled away so that she was sitting up straight. "Do come and see me again." The fairy heard distant footsteps.

"You heard that?"

"I have very good hearing. It's something I can be proud of."


	3. Chapter 3

AN. I just wanted to thank all the people who have reviewed and favourite this. Thank you!

The princess invited the thirteenth fairy to dine with her on the evening before the birthday celebrations began. The fairy accepted, eager for company that did not assume she was evil and ate children. So she took on her crow form and flew to the castle where she met with the princess in the small courtyard. From there the princess led the fairy through the castle's halls and corridors to a small private dining room.

"How did you learn your way around this castle so well?" asked the fairy. The only thing about the girl's movement that suggested she was blind was the way she sometimes put out a hand to feel her way along the walls.

"Practise." The princess shrugged. "Like any other person learning their way around this place."

After a few minutes they came to a door which the princess opened. She then stood aside to let the fairy through first.

She entered, looked around and froze.

In the room there was a small round table with dishes and cutlery (one set golden) and sat at the table were the king and queen. The king stood up at the sight of her.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he demanded. The thirteenth fairy took a deep breath and collected herself before walking over to the place set with the golden dish and cutlery.

"Unlike last time, sir, I was invited." She pulled out the chair and sat down.

"Who would want to invite you?" asked the queen as she pulled her husband back down to his seat.

"_I_ would, mother." Said the princess who went and sat down next to the fairy. "I thought it would be prudent to avoid a repeat of the events that occurred at my birth."

"But she's evil!" The king protested. "Look at what she has done to you!"

"I'm sorry father, but I cannot do that." The princess felt around her place on the table then unfolded her napkin and spread it out over her lap.

"_Why_ did you invite her?" the queen pressed.

"I thought I just answered that question a moment ago." She reached out over the table and removed a cover from one of the dishes. She sniffed. "Mmm. Is that lamb?"

"Yes- would you like me to serve you some?" The fairy took up the silver ladle and spooned some of the fragrant food onto the girl's plate when she nodded.

"Are you coming to tomorrow's celebrations?" The king asked the fairy through gritted teeth as she served herself some of the lamb.

"I thought I might as your daughter was kind enough to extend me the invitation."

"Ah, kindness. Something your sister thought an appropriate gift." Said the queen. "Such a shame you were not so wise."

"Mother, I had hoped that at this dinner you and father might be a little more courteous to my guest." The princess' tone was firm.

"I am sorry, daughter, but this woman was exiled!"

"Then remove the terms of her exile. You are the monarchs of this country and as such it is within your power."

"But-"

"Furthermore," The princess continued, "What acts of evil has she performed towards the crown since her behaviour sixteen years ago that was the result of a slight dealt to her by _you_?" The king and queen busied themselves with serving each other food to avoid answering. The princess smiled. "Would you like a room for the night? I believe there is a guest chamber in my quarters."

"I do not want to impose…"

"Nonsense. I invited you and it is getting late. I _insist_."

The king and queen ate in silence.

"Will this be comfortable?" The princess asked, gesturing around the chamber that was set aside for guests in her quarters.

"Yes, this is too kind…"

"Not at all. It is polite." The princess moved carefully around the room. "I have not been in here much before." She said in passing. "It seems good. I will have a servant bring you some nightclothes if you wish."

"Thank you." The princess rang a bell that was hung near the bed and a minute later a maidservant knocked at the door.

"Some nightclothes, please, for my guest."

"Of course, your highness. Shall I bring your hot milk also?"

"yes, thank you. Would you like some as well?" She asked the fairy.

"I- if it is not an imposition…"

"It is not."

"I will bring two cups of hot milk and some nightclothes forthwith, your highness," said the servant who curtseyed and hurried away.

"Your parents were not happy to see me this evening." The princess smiled at the observation.

"No, but then they do not like it when I show any kind of free will."


	4. Chapter 4

AN. Thank you for all the response I have had to this story!

Before her grand entrance to the celebrations the princess was with the Thirteenth fairy while she dressed.

"How do I look?" she asked. The fairy looked at her true face again.

"When people compliment you they will not be complimenting the fairies." The princess laughed.

"I like that answer- it could go both ways. I might be ugly or pretty."

The Thirteenth fairy observed the court's reaction to her with some amusement. Much of the girl's birthday celebrations were being held in the palace gardens so she had been forced to walk down the main palace steps with the Princess the morning that they began. Some in the court did not actually recognise her; these were the young women and men who were around the Princess' age. They thought that the fairy was just another companion. The older nobles _did_ recognise her, and with their hisses of anger and dislike came a smile on the Princess' face.

The fairy held her head high as she helped the Princess make her way down the stairs. She chose to take satisfaction in the discomfort of the nobles- clearly her actions sixteen years ago had given her a reputation.

As the celebrations went on it became clear that it was becoming something of a contest to greet the Thirteenth fairy. Young men hoping to earn admiration from their peers kept coming forward to greet her, ladies hoping to capture a gentleman's eye would compliment her dress. The king and queen were clearly still unhappy that the princess had invited her, but the icing on the cake was when the other fairies arrived. They greeted the princess warmly, not noticing how the girl responded with little emotion or warmth of her own. Then she chose to introduce her personal guest.

"I believe you have met before." she spoke as calmly as ever, no sign of mischief in her tone. It was odd how it took the other fairies a moment to recognise her- had the past sixteen years changed her so much?

"You invited... _her_." The eldest of the twelve spoke as softly and gently as the princess, but with an edge of menace to her tone.

"I did. I thought that a repeat of what occurred at my christening would not be wise."

"No, I suppose not." The fairy conceded unwillingly.

"Besides, you were all friends once."

"Once." said the Thirteenth fairy. "People can change, it seems."

"How sad," said the princess. "Well, I do hope that you enjoy the celebrations nonetheless." Taking the Thirteenth fairy's arm she left the twelve good fairies behind.

"Do they know how you feel about their gifts?" asked the Thirteenth fairy when they had walked well away.

"Of course not. They would never listen to me if I tried to tell them. Still, I have found ways of living with the situation. It does not matter anymore." The princess was then whisked away to meet and greet guests from neighbouring countries leaving the fairy alone.

"You feel guilty for what you did, don't you?" said a voice slightly behind her that she recognised.

"Should I? As far as I was aware I was just avenging an insult given to me." The thirteenth fairy turned and saw fourth fairy smiling with amusement.

"Fine, don't admit it." The two sisters watched the princess still greeting guests, her face showing little emotion. "Sometimes I wonder whether or not our gifts were any worse than yours." The fourth fairy said absently.

The Thirteenth fairy snorted softly. "I told you it was just semantics." There was a pause. "Why do you question _your_ decision- what was yours? Grace?"

"Mine was grace, yes. I don't know. She never seems happy, that girl. I never saw her smile from just being happy- she'll laugh at a joke, or some witty comment, but never from being honestly happy."

"You could always ease your conscience and just blame it on me." The thirteenth fairy sighed. "Most people do." The fourth fairy placed a hand on her younger sister's shoulder.

"I'm sorry sister. You should not have been forgotten or slighted as you were."

"Please forgive me if I am a little bitter that such understanding has taken sixteen years to form." The thirteenth quickly drained her glass of wine. The fourth fairy shrugged then spoke with a smile.

"That is probably fair. I should go; I have not yet spoken with the king and queen." The thirteenth fairy watched her older sister walk away. Strange. Sixteen years had dulled what she felt for her sisters, apparently.

A few minutes later the princess had returned to the thirteenth fairy's side.

"I hope you are enjoying yourself," She said to the fairy.

"To a point. Are you?" She looked at the princess, brushed the question aside.

"It is a celebration. They are all the same and they all blur after a while- regardless of what it is we are celebrating. May I ask: what is the point where you stop enjoying yourself?" The fairy heaved a sigh.

"The point where I realise where the past sixteen years have gone."

"Hmm. Well, I have just been told to start looking for suitors. I wanted to ask your advice- what qualities would you look for in a suitor? Besides the obvious things like honesty, loyalty and supposedly undying adoration."

"I would personally recommend finding someone who you can stand to be in a room with. I hear that helps with building good foundations in relationships." She watched the princess' lips quirk in response.

"Thank you. My mother's advice was helpful, though more based around politics and wealth. Those are useful in terms of what my marriage would do for my country which I daresay is more important than what marriage would mean for me personally." She took a sip from her own wine glass. "Nevertheless, I would like to think that my marriage will be bearable."

"You set your aspirations low." The fairy noted. "Most hope for love."

"Love requires compassion, something I do not trust in myself." The hard edge returned to the princess' voice. "Are there a group of foreign ambassadors over there? It is so noisy; I cannot pick voices out very easily." She indicated a direction with a wave of a hand.

"Yes- are some of them offering their princes' hands in marriage?"

"Of course," The princess replied. "They would never come for the sake of my birthday alone." She too drained her glass then returned to playing politics.


End file.
